Fundraiser will benefit camp for children of cancer patients

DETAILS

Camp Kesem

What: Weeklong camp for children with parents affected by cancer

When: June 21-28

Where: Camp Oakes, Big Bear City

Admission: Free

Point Loma 
For the past several years, students at the University of California San Diego have been giving children whose parents have or had cancer the chance to put their troubles behind them with a week of fun at summer camp.

But with a struggling economy, donations needed to keep Camp Kesem running are drying up.

“With the economic crisis that we've been in, our past main contributors haven't been able to hand us the funds like they used to,” said Justin Brumer, a counselor with the program who is a junior majoring in political science.

Although counselors say they're hopeful the camp will start as scheduled June 21, they've raised less than half the $45,000 needed.

To help get them the money they need, organizers are holding a fundraising comedy show and silent auction tomorrow at 5 p.m. The “Komedy for Kesem” event will be at UCSD's Price Center Theater, with tickets available at the ticket office at $15 for students and $20 for everyone else.

Camp Kesem is a free, student-run nationwide camp that encourages kids to be kids. The name Kesem comes from the Hebrew word meaning magic, symbolizing that this camp experience will be healing and one-of-a-kind.

Since this camp was founded at Stanford University in 2001, 22 chapters have sprouted across the country. The UCSD chapter was launched in 2004.

More than 250 children from the region have attended the camp since it began here. The first 60 San Diego children ages 6 to 13 to apply will spend seven days and six nights at Camp Oakes in Big Bear City, along with 30 volunteer counselors.

“Personally, I think the purpose of camp is to give volunteers of camp and those in camp the ability to outreach to those with parents affected by cancer,” said Karen Poon, a co-chair of UCSD Camp Kesem and a senior studying biochemistry and chemistry. “You never have camps for children whose parents have cancer, and this community is overlooked most times, and it's important to reach these people.”

Camp Kesem offers swimming, hiking, rope courses, drum circles, eating contests, movie nights, bonfires and more. There are also nightly cabin chats, an often emotional time for counselors and campers to bond.

“We spend the time in cabin chat to recognize the troubles they're going through and air out the feelings of family members who have been affected by cancer,” Brumer said.

Brumer said the camp is special because it allows children to express themselves and meet others their age who are going through the same challenges.